Pancakes
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Just a one-shot, Granny and Regina friendship.


_AN: Just a one-shot Brotp between Granny and Regina. _

1

You've re-opened the diner now after David's speech at the town line. He was right, the town does need to band together and at the day, you think smiling, things aren't too bad for you. At least you and Ruby are together, the curse did give you that mercy, plus no turning into a wolf, you know Red is worried about that happening again. You smile at Ruby and continue preparing food in the kitchen when you hear a hushed silence across the entire diner. You come out of the kitchen to see what has caused this and notice Regina has walked in, she looks around almost nervously before settling into a booth. You heard from David that she was asked to stand down as mayor. She orders coffee and you overhear her telling Ruby that Henry asked to meet her here. You assume that your granddaughter questioned her motives for entering the diner. You know Henry has been staying with David as of late, you remember Regina and Henry coming into the diner a couple of times a week for dinner and on Saturdays for ice-cream. You remember that when the two of them were in the diner she seemed happy, at least until Emma came along.

Twenty minutes pass and Henry doesn't show. You see her pick up her cell phone and call someone, you assume David. Ruby comes over to you, "Henry's run off" she says in explanation before she leaves to serve someone else. You look over at Regina and overhear her telling David not to come get her because Henry won't want to see her, you feel your heart break a little for the woman. You know what it's like to have a child pull away and evil queen aside, you know she loves that boy. You have the overwhelming urge to make her feel better. Something clicks in your brain, something she used to order a lot. Well you think if anyone needs comfort food right now. You walk over with the plate and see that she is clearly fighting back tears. She notices you standing over her, "I'm sorry" she says, "I'll just go", she moves to stand but you push her gently back down. "No, Regina" you set the plate down in front of her. She gives you a watery smile at the plate of apple pancakes "Thank you". You sit down across from her. You can't get her son here but you can at least provide her with lunch and some company. Neither of you says anything while she eats. When she finishes she stands up and looks at you with a small happy smile, "Thank you" she says. "Anytime Regina" you say surprising yourself when you realise you mean it.

2

She doesn't come back for a few days. You hear rumours that she has begun seeing Archie. Good, you think, at least she's getting herself some help. You overhear Henry and David discuss an incident at the stables and you find yourself worrying about her. Ruby gives you a questioning glance until she sees what you've made and then she understands. "Go, I'll cover for you" "Thank you Ruby" you say and give her a quick hug before leaving.

You walk up the drive and hope that she is receptive to this. You know people are still wary of her but you're hoping that her attempts to change include accepting small acts of comfort. You pause before knocking. The door slowly pulls open and she sticks her head around before seeing it's you. From that quick glance you can see that she's crying. She opens the door fully "What are you doing here?" she sniffs obviously trying to compose herself. The way she opens the door now makes you wonder how many people have actually come to the former mayor's door and how many of them were there simply to threaten. You realise she's still waiting for you to answer the question and say the first thing that comes to mind, "I brought pancakes"

Surprisingly she lets you in. She moves to take the bag but you shake your head and tell her to sit down whilst you busy yourself setting the pancakes onto a plate and adding some syrup before you place the plate in front of her. You look at her and see that there are circles under her eyes and she looks thinner, you wonder if she's taking care of herself. She starts to nibble cautiously at the pancakes and you sit across from her before deciding to make coffee. She doesn't stop you which you take as a good sign.

She finishes the pancakes as you place the coffee in front of her. She stares at it in confusion before looking at you, "Why?"

You don't really understand her question. "What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

You give her a sad smile, "Regina, I heard what happened and I just wanted to see how you were"

She looks surprised. You see the tears forming in her eyes. You go round to her stool and pull her into a hug, she resists at first before eventually conceding to the hug and crying into your shoulder. You let her cry it out stroking her hair and whispering reassuring words, you wonder how many people have actually bothered to comfort this woman before. You look down and see that she cried herself to sleep, you carefully drag her over to her sofa before settling her onto it. You place a blanket over her and ruffle her hair. You tidy up the kitchen and leave her a quick note, you briefly pop into the living room and see her sleeping peacefully. You gently close the door behind you and leave her house.

3

Snow and Emma are back. Ruby tells you how Regina sucked in that curse to bring them back. You feel a brief flash of concern and wonder if she's alright. Ruby notices. "She seemed fine at Gold's shop Gran, why are you so worried?" you ponder this, "I don't know. I don't think anyone else really gives the woman a chance and I know she is trying to be better so I'm just trying to support her in that". Ruby smiles at you, "that's nice"

There's a party for Emma and Snow to welcome them back. Emma invites Regina. Grumpy in his typical fashion reacts rashly and threatens her with a knife, you offer the woman a brief reassuring smile before Emma placates him and the others by telling them she invited her. As Emma goes to talk to her stunned parents, Regina goes to set her food down. You nearly go over but Henry approaches her so you leave them to it.

You give her a cup of tea and she smiles gratefully "Thank you", after that day at her house she comes into the diner more often and talks to you when she comes in. "I heard what you did at the well" she frowns looking down guiltily at her shoes, you realise she expects to be chastised for listening to Rumpel. You tilt her head back up, "I thought it was very brave of you to take in that curse, are you alright?" She smiles surprised at the concern, "I'm fine, thank you" her voice seems more timid than it used too. You give her arm a quick squeeze before Ruby calls your attention.

She ends up sitting alone in a booth, you look around the room and see Henry is sitting at the bar, Emma is talking to Archie and everyone else is subtly avoiding the woman. You sigh as you notice her get up and wish more people would at least give her a chance. Emma rushes out after her. You smile; perhaps there is hope for that after all.

4

Weeks pass. Archie it turns out is alive. A stranger comes into town. Emma, Henry and Rumpel go off to New York after Belle loses her memory. Cora returns and gets her clutches on Regina. You wonder why no-one looked harder for her, you realise everyone assumed she was guilty and basically destroyed any progress she had made. It saddens you that under her mother Regina has reverted. You overhear Snow's conversation to her about Cora, you find yourself angry at Snow, you know Regina doesn't need to hear about people not loving her even if part of her knows all Cora wants is power, you know that all she wants is her mother to love her. You feel sad for her. You hear about what happens to Johanna, you wish she'd come to her senses. Ruby is roped into babysit Henry whilst the others prepare to fight Cora and Regina. You find yourself hoping that she doesn't get hurt.

You hear about what happens to Cora. You hear them all worry about Snow and talk about how Snow will cope. None of them mention Regina. This angers you. Her mother just died and no-one seems to care. You hear about the incident at the well and once again you feel so mad at Emma, she told Regina that she was bad, you know she doesn't need to hear that. You know they all think she's out for vengeance and to cause pain, they don't see the sad part of it, that the woman was so desperate for love that she was willing to resort to a curse.

All this has you back on the woman's doorstep. You know pancakes won't be enough for all that has happened but you hope it's a start. She opens the door clearly ready for a fight. She sees it's you. "Widow Lucas" she says flatly. You frown, before the incident with Archie she had dropped the formality but its back. You hold up the bag. "Pancakes?" you ask. There's a brief ghost of a smile as she gestures for you to enter. That gives you hope that you can still help her.

"Why are you here?" she asks as you set the pancakes out in front of her. The question reminds you of when you did this after the incident at the stables. You look at her sadly and answer, "Just wanted to see how you were doing". She looks at you and asks "Really?" Her disbelief upsets you a little, "yes Regina really, why does that surprise you?"

She gives a disturbingly bitter laugh, "How about because I'm the 'evil' queen and everyone including my own son hates me and thinks that if something bad happens in town then it must be fault. How about because when I tried to change the only people who gave me a chance turned their backs on me at the first hint of doubt? Or the fact that my mother died and all anybody cares about is how Snow White is coping with committing a bad deed!" she finishes, angry tears coursing down her face. You are angry, at yourself and at everyone else for letting this go on, you're angry at Cora for manipulating the woman into going back on the path of evil and for making her daughter so distrustful, you're a little angry at Regina herself for thinking that people have completely given up on her, you realise though that she has no reason not to think that. You sigh and look at her, she looks angry and lost, you don't think about it but you hug her. She tries to push you off, she struggles and screams at you to let her go but you don't, eventually she gives in and just sobs on your shoulder again, through her tears she asks you why you're doing this. "Because Regina you need someone in your corner and I am here to help you okay?" She nods and buries her face in your shoulder. She seems smaller as she cries in your arms. You hold her while she cries about everything that has occurred in the past few months, she cries for Henry, she cries for her mother, she cries about her regression to bad magic. You shush her and promise her everything will be okay.

She eventually calms down and pulls away from you "Thank you Granny" she says with a small smile.

"Anytime Regina"

"Do you think the pancakes are still good to eat?" you laugh. "I'll make you some more" you reply and lead her into the kitchen.


End file.
